What 3rd world country threw away their trains

[scracha]

I thought the Wellington trains were pretty flash when I was there in the '80's - Auckland didn't have commuter trains,passengers went in the freight wagons.

This is a joke right?

[terbang]

As I bump over an abused SH 1, I am trying to negotiate my way through long ques created by trucks, many of them pouring slippery and stinking animal shit all over the road, and I wonder: This country had a rail service, still has the tracks and basic equipment that is now owned and used by an overseas operator. Rail technology in other parts of the world is being developed to a degree that will even challenge aviation, yet we pay a fortune every year on road repair and modifications to reduce congestion, while the local rail tracks are rusting. Why..?

[Motu]

This is a joke right?

Are there any Auckland train commuters here to confirm or deny?

I rest my case.

[Lias]

The newer wellington cars arent too bad (the ones where the seats look like multicolour puke), but I remember reading in the paper not long ago that all the new carriages they've ordered are going to take years to arrive, and they dug all the realllly old ones out of retirement for peak time trains.

Welly still has the commuter train service (and in my experience bus service too) in the country, even if it is struggling under the dual headaches of lack of investment and hugely increasing demand.

[scracha]

Couldn't NZ apply to become an Australian state again?

[Hitcher]

Sigh. There is a difference (for those not weaned on Thomas The Tank Engine) between trains and carriages. A bit like carts and horses (for those weaned on Thomas Hardy). There is still a delay associated with new carriages, although the first of those destined for the Wairarapa line start from mid May (all things going well with the shake-down testing at Dunedin).

The delay for trains is about seven years as, again, they have to be made to measure, not only because of New Zealand's rail gauge (same as South Africa and Japan) but also other physical considerations, such as platform clearances, tunnel widths & heights, radius of curvature on the tracks, etc. Train manufacturers generally build in about 700-unit lots, so an order of 70 from Wellington tends to slide down the batting order somewhat.

[Guido]

At least the Wellingbum trains arrive at their destinations. West Auckland trains would be an hour late for their own funeral!!!!!!!
Then think about the car parks we have in place of motorways, oh, but dont forget that lane splitting on a motorcycle is an offence and the Traffic Nazi's WILL chase you!

[Ixion]

I remember going down from Auckland to Wellington as a lad, down on the Night Limited, back on the Express.

A fast trip, especially the Express. He was cranking along like Billy-oh on some sections, dunno how fast I was too young to estimate, but maybe 70,80mph, far faster than any car or bike could have gone for such a distance (and through the dreaded pumice too). And very comfortable, all leatherette and wood and cast iron. Guards in uniforms, steam heating, pillows an blankets for hire.Dining cars and smoking cars, sleepers for the rich.

And the railways stations - oh they were so exciting. Huge dining rooms,2/6 for a bangup meal, crowds hustling here and there, trains arriving and departing with great clouds of smoke and steam and clanks and bangs. Everything marble and tile and polished wood. Wonderful places.

Everybody went by train, they were reliable, fast, comfortable,only a masochist would have gone by car, let alone motorcycle.

Sigh. Where did it all go wrong.

[merv]

I ride the trains every working day in Wellington and luckily on our line we only have the "new" 1982 model Ganz Mavag units and the service to and from Porirua is great. However, I'd love air conditioned sealed window trains to stop all the women that open the windows on cold days (what's with them always feeling hot?) and all those that slam them shut as we go into the tunnels.

This reckons we'll have new trains by 2010 http://gw.govt.nz/story18878.cfm - I'm hoping I'll be retired by then.

I would have liked trains like this http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=47498

[Ixion]

I ride the trains every working day in Wellington,,stop all the women that open the windows on cold days (what's with them always feeling hot?),,

Feck. You ride a train every day filled with permanently hot women? Where do I buy a ticket for this seraglio on rails?

[Madness]

I made the mistake of jumping into the smoking carriage on the Wairarapa Line when I was commuting 10 years ago. A smoker myself, I nearly threw up a few times, it was disgusting. Hard to imagine that sort of thing now, not so long ago either.

[pete376403]

Backi in the 70s I would catch the Waiararapa train from Upper Hutt to Naenae - they had the old carriages that Ixion waxes lyrical about. One good thing about them was you could stand on the open platform at the end of the carriage and avoid all the smokers. Also it was a lot cheaper, even allowing for the inflation and so on - $5 for a ten trip ticket

[Hitcher]

Feck. You ride a train every day filled with permanently hot women? Where do I buy a ticket for this seraglio on rails?

Another one of Wellington's secrets broadcast to the world. At this rate Aucklanders will be moving here in droves. Or hordes. Time to put up the barricades at the border.

[NordieBoy]

oh, but dont forget that lane splitting on a motorcycle is an offence and the Traffic Nazi's WILL chase you!

At least lane splitting on a train is allowed

[Swoop]

I made the mistake of jumping into the smoking carriage on the Wairarapa Line when I was commuting 10 years ago. A smoker myself, I nearly threw up a few times, it was disgusting.

I find it quite entertaining at the Auckland airport arrivals area. Under the escalator there is an enclosed glass room for those who wish to suck on a cancer stick. It appears a little like a goldfish bowl!
I have not fathomed why a person needs to smoke inside that room, since all the air appears heavily laced with nicotine. Just breathing would be enough to do the trick!